


Adoration

by tehfanglyfish



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Author Is Sleep Deprived, Body Image, Canon Era, Deviates From Canon, Established Relationship, M/M, Magic Mirrors, Masturbation, Sweet Merlin (Merlin), Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:26:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26158012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: Merlin wants to try something new. A normally adventurous Arthur isn't so sure, especially since a mirror is involved.Written for Kinkalot Bonus Challenge #4: At the Limit
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 116
Collections: Kinkalot 2020





	Adoration

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks once again to the Kinkalot mods for allowing non-participants to do the bonus challenges. They've been loads of fun!
> 
> Do not post my work to other websites.
> 
> I do not own these characters or this franchise. I am making no many from this.

“I want to try something different tonight if you don’t mind. Although…”

“What?”

“It may be a bit much for you. Not in a bad way, but…”

That tone, Merlin’s half-smile as he chewed on his bottom lip, the way he held Arthur’s gaze despite his nerves – it didn’t matter that Arthur was exhausted from a long day of garrison reports and grain forecasts – there was no way he could say no.

“Whatever you want.”

Arthur was half-hard before the words left his mouth, his mind racing with the possibilities of what Merlin might be planning. In all the years they’d known each other, Merlin had never failed to surprise him – his early insolence, the revelation of his magic, the revelation of his heart. Since the nature of their relationship had changed half a decade ago, Merlin proved to continue to be surprising, stunning Arthur with an unexpected, though highly impressive, knowledge of what seemed to be all things erotic.

“Where did you learn that?” Arthur had asked on more than one occasion.

“I read it in a book,” was the only response he ever received. Whether Merlin fed him that line because it was true or because he didn’t want to trigger Arthur’s insecurities was hard to tell.

Best not to press the matter, Arthur had decided. Better to press into Merlin. Or let Merlin press into him.

“What do you have in mind?”

“You’ll see. For now, strip out of your clothes.”

“Giving the orders again, are we?”

“You like it and you know it.”

The smirk Merlin flashed him meant that he hadn’t been able to prevent the blush from creeping across his face.

“Besides,” Merlin continued, “I need to double-check something.”

There was nothing graceful in the way that Arthur shed his clothing, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. Merlin was breaking out a spell book, which meant that this was going to be a good night indeed. Clothes gone, he slipped between the sheets.

“What now?”

“Throw off the covers. You won’t need them. And stop touching yourself,” Merlin said without looking away from the grimoire. “Otherwise it will be over before we begin.”

Arthur would have preferred to keep the blanket, but did as Merlin said. He tried his best to be patient as he waited, focusing on the cool of the sheets against his skin rather than his growing arousal. It didn’t help that Merlin, still engrossed in the book, was stripping off his own clothing as he read. Arthur squeezed his eyes shut, lest he disobey Merlin’s command about touching himself.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he heard the book slam shut.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Merlin said, his voice getting nearer. “I want everything to be ready when you open them.”

The mattress dipped as Merlin stretched out beside him, whispering the words of an incantation.

“Alright. Now we’re ready. You can open them.”

“You didn’t extinguish the candles.”

“Because that would have made the room dark. We need light for what I have planned.”

Merlin had guessed right; this endeavor was starting to leave Arthur somewhat unsettled. For the past few months, he’d made a point to blow out the candles before they fell into bed, hoping Merlin wouldn’t notice. But that was foolish, he supposed, because Merlin noticed everything.

“And what do you have planned?”

“Look up.”

Well, that explained why Merlin wanted the candlelight and why he was worried about Arthur feeling overwhelmed. A year ago, the mirror enchanted on the underside of the canopy over their bed might have been welcome, a way to give Arthur a view of Merlin from as many angles as possible. He still wanted to see Merlin, of course, but then Merlin wasn’t the problem.

“I don’t know…”

“Just indulge me for a minute. I promise that if it gets to be too much, I'll stop.”

Then Merlin caught his mouth in a deep kiss, so heated that Arthur forgot about the mirror, too preoccupied with Merlin's tongue to worry. He wrapped his arms around Merlin, pulling him close enough to feel his own unmistakable sign of arousal pressed against Arthur’s thigh. That gave him an idea, one that would deal with his unease regarding the mirror while simultaneously putting it to its very best use.

In one quick go, Arthur repositioned Merlin, pulling him from the mattress to deposit him on top of his body. There. That was better. Not only could he enjoy the glide of Merlin’s cock against his own, but he could watch Merlin’s hips as he thrust against Arthur.

“I know what you’re doing,” Merlin panted, breaking off the kiss. “Stop it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right,” Merlin said, smiling down at him. Arthur held tight as Merlin attempted to extract himself from Arthur’s arms, his efforts leaving them both gasping as it only intensified the contact between their bodies.

After a moment’s indulgence, he cheated, whispering a spell that left Arthur’s arms pinned against the bed. Finally free, he returned to his earlier spot lying beside Arthur. Damn him. Normally Merlin saved the restraint spell for occasions when Arthur begged him to take over completely. If he had to stay pinned down for this… whatever it was… he wasn’t sure he could handle it.

“I’ll let you go if you promise to be good,” Merlin said, as if reading his mind.

“Fine.” Freed from the enchantment, Arthur flung an arm across his eyes, shielding them from the hateful mirror.

“None of that.” Merlin pulled his arm away. “There’s something I need you to see.”

“Which is?”

“You.”

Oh no. That was bad. Very bad. About as bad as it could get. Being ravished on the back of a raging Serket would be less uncomfortable.

“Merlin, please. Anything but that. We could do that thing again where you sit on the throne wearing only my crown and I…”

“That was nice. More than nice, actually. We’ll save it for tomorrow.”

“What about a bath? You could conjure the water. It always feels so good when you…”

“It does and we will. But not tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t think you know just how breathtakingly stunning you really are.”

“Maybe once, but not now.”

“Arthur, your body is a thing of beauty.”

“But the grey hairs you found last week and the extra holes in my belt...”

“Don't make what I said any less true. Bodies change. That's part of life. But you will never not be the most gorgeous man I've ever laid eyes on. Look at you... “

“I'd rather not.”

“Well do it anyway. I want you to see yourself, to really look.” Strong but careful fingers, cupped Arthur’s chin, turning it so that he was looking up at the mirror.

Arthur knew there was no point in fighting when Merlin was this determined.

“Alright. Just get it over with.”

“I would have thought an arrogant prat would like being fawned over,” Merlin teased as he shifted closer, his breath warm against Arthur’s ear. “But I’ll try to make it more enjoyable for you.”

Arthur hissed as Merlin relocated his fingers, releasing his chin to instead grip his cock.

“Better?”

The sound Arthur made was less than coherent, but Merlin seemed to understand as he laughed softly.

“Good. Now keep watching and listen.”

For the next agonizing half-hour, Arthur had no choice but to listen as Merlin described in intricate detail the allure of his body. Nothing was off limits. The emerging grey only made his hair shine more in the sun. The crow’s feet that he had tried to ignore made his blue eyes more expressive. Scars on his chest and arms were Arthur’s love letter to Camelot and its people.

It was almost too much to bear - the loving words of adoration, Merlin’s insistence that Arthur watch, the vulnerability that came with being so exposed – the only things making it bearable were the occasional kisses interspersed between commentary and the constant, steady pace of Merlin’s hand, stroking Arthur through it all.

“But compared to Gwaine…” Arthur began when Merlin finally moved on to his midsection.

“There is no comparison.”

“Exactly. His stomach is like a washboard. I have extra padding.”

“And I adore it. Just as I adore all of you.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“If you won’t believe my words, then I’ll have to try something else.” Merlin shifted his hips so that his hard cock pressed into Arthur’s thigh. “Do you believe me now?”

“That’s…”

“All your fault. You’re always worrying, but there’s no reason to. I know I’ve pushed you tonight and I’ll stop soon. But first, Arthur, I swear to you that there will never come a day where I won’t love you. Or won’t want you.”

His wrist had sped up as he spoke, the sensation combined with his words almost pushing Arthur over the edge. It took all of Arthur’s self-control to still Merlin’s hand, pulling him back into his arms.

“Thank you,” he whispered against Merlin’s hair. “I know I’m ridiculous.”

“A bit.”

“Shut up. And now that you’re done making me feel better, I was thinking…”

“What?”

“Maybe I could make _you_ feel better.” Before Merlin could protest, Arthur pulled him back on top, positioning him so that their cocks were again touching. “How long will the mirror enchantment hold?”

“At least until morning.”

“Good. That means I can watch while you have your way with me.”

It was over far too soon, the consequence of intense arousal mixed with exhaustion.

“Give me a few days,” Merlin said as he curled around Arthur, “and I’ll find a way to make it permanent. That way I can remind you each night of just how beautiful you are, and you can keep singing the praises of my bum. I never realized you adored it that much.”

“I’ve always loved it, but I’d never seen it from that angle before,” Arthur said, tucking Merlin against him. “It deserves ballads composed in its honor. Now sleep. You’ll need your rest for tomorrow. Until you find a better spell, we’ll have to make do with my dressing mirror.”


End file.
